2. Question 1 -
In what ways does your media product use,
develop and challenge the forms and
conventions of real media product?
3. Using conventions
I have used typical conventions of the
magazine by making sure I include a lot of
the different features that magazines in the
current market have. I have included a
front cover, contents and double page
spread which all magazine have and whilst
creating these I used my existing
knowledge and research to make sure I
stuck to the conventions of existing
magazines
4. Using conventions – front
cover
I made sure that the cover image was a
mid shot, this is often used in existing
magazines and I also made sure it was the
largest picture on the page so that It stood
out.
5. Using conventions – front
cover
I also made sure that I had a masthead located
at the top of the page and I had it in the top
corner like ‘Q’ magazine as I felt it would be
most noticed here. I also made sure that the
tagline of the magazine was located
underneath the masthead
6. Using conventions – front
cover
I also made sure that the coverlines were
located together, this makes them easier to
locate and read instead of being
scattered.
7. Using conventions – front
cover
I added in a quote from the artist, this is very
common and is used in a lot of music
magazines. I felt this was a necessity and the
front cover wouldn’t be complete without it.
8. Using conventions – front
cover
I also added in a banner across the top of
the page, this is also common in music
magazines to advertise a specific part or
offer within the magazine.
9. Using conventions – front
cover
I also added in a section that advertises a
specific offer or event, it is like the banner
however it is usually added within a circle
shape.
10. Using conventions – front
cover
I also made sure that I added in the barcode
and price, I made sure that the price was small
and located near the barcode which was also
alongside the date of the issue.
11. Using conventions – contents
I made sure that contents was written and
visible at the top of the page.
12. Using conventions – contents
I made sure that there was one main image
on the contents page. I t was slightly smaller
than other magazines however it was still
larger than the rest of the images
13. Using conventions – contents
I used sub-sections for the contents page,
this I very common in magazines as it makes
the contents page easier to skim through
14. Using conventions – contents
I made sure that I had page numbers
attached to the smaller pictures as they are
there as a visual aid to the article titles.
15. Using conventions – contents
I made sure that I had page numbers
attached to the smaller pictures as they are
there as a visual aid to the article titles.
16. Using conventions – contents
I also added in an editors note, I made it
shorter than typical magazines however it is
long enough for enough detail to be
added.
17. Using conventions – double
page spread
The title of the article is clear and located at
the top of the page. This makes it so that It is
one of the first things the reader looks at.
18. Using conventions – double
page spread
I made sure that the main image took up
almost half of the double page spread as I
felt this is exactly what existing magazines
persist to do.
19. Using conventions – double
page spread
I added in some smaller images as this is
also very common in double page spreads;
they are there to shows other emotions of
the artists or other members of the band.
20. Using conventions – double
page spread
I made sure that the interview/article was
written in column format as this is how most
articles are written as it is easier for the
reader to follow.
21. Using conventions – double
page spread
I made sure that I included the CD that the
artist has made into the article and a
sentence to say when there CD/Tour is out.
22. Using conventions – double
page spread
I also added in a ‘further listening section.
This is very popular in magazines such as Q
which is why I decided to include it in my
own magazine.
23. Using conventions – double
page spread
I made sure that I added in a quote from
the artists as this is a very common feature
to include on double page spreads.
24. Using conventions
I made sure that all of the pages had the same
colour scheme as I felt this made the pages
flow better and this was also something that all
music magazines did to make their product flow
better.
25. Developing conventions
On a few of my pages I have managed to
take an idea or conventions from a
magazine and develop it or change it
slightly (without loosing the concept) I feel
as though this makes the magazine more
individual rather than an existing magazine
clone.
26. Developing conventions –
front cover
I took the idea of having a shape containing an
offer, however instead of using the circle shape
like most magazines I went for the star as I felt
this was more fitting with my genre and the fun
front cover I was trying to create.
27. Developing conventions –
front cover
I also went against using a simple and clean
font for the masthead, I felt the graffiti font
fit in better with my genre as I didn’t want it
too harsh and bold and I wanted to have a
hip hop twist on the R&B classic.
28. Developing conventions –
front cover
I also decided to take the banner idea but I
made it stretch further as I felt that way I
would be able to advertise more.
29. Developing conventions –
front cover
Even though I included the barcode, date
and price I went against hiding it in the
bottom corner and put it at the top of the
page
30. Developing conventions –
contents page
I did add in an editors note however I
added it within a sticky note and made it
shorter than existing magazines
31. Developing conventions –
contents page
I also made sure that there were sections on
the page however I made the boxes very
prominent compared to existing magazines.
32. Developing conventions –
double page spread
I developed the conventions of double
page spread as I went for an interview
rather than an article; these are not as
common in music magazines.
33. Developing conventions –
double page spread
Even though I used the further listening
section I developed it by adding in
descriptions of the CDs rather than just a
picture and rating.
34. Challenging conventions
I went for some maybe controversial
decisions when creating this magazine as I
wanted a quirky and fresh spin on existing
magazines. I made some decisions that
went against typical conventions but I am
still happy with the outcome of the
magazine.
35. challenging conventions –
front cover
I went against having the coverlines just layered
on top of the background; I decided to add in
the iPod so that that particular cover line stood
out; I preferred to do this than just enlarge the
coverline as I feel this is done too often.
36. challenging conventions –
front cover
I also decided to make my background one solid
colour, this is not common as major magazines have
access to photography studios so they can make a
professional background where as I took my images in
my house so a solid colour background replaced our
wall colour.
37. challenging conventions –
contents
I added in the main image that was there solely
for entertainment as it wasn’t linked to any of
the articles this rarely happens however I felt it
fit in really well with the genre.
38. challenging conventions –
contents
I also added in a ‘picture of the week’ I have
never seen this in music magazines however I
felt as though it was a good feature that would
get the readers involved in the magazine
39. challenging conventions –
contents
I also added in a large picture of a vinyl. The
articles are usually listed in boxes however I
wanted to go against those conventions as I felt
this was quirky and new but it still worked well.
40. challenging conventions –
contents
I went against putting the subscription
information on the front page as I felt it was
better on the contents page
41. challenging conventions –
contents
Finally I wanted to add something fresh and new to
the contents page, this is why I added the QR code
onto the contents page as this merged different
forms of media together which shows that my
company can cross media converge with other
companies
42. challenging conventions –
double page spread
The main thing on the double page spread was
the background, I wanted to go against the
traditional background and add something in
that linked to my genre which is why I added in
the brick wall with the graffiti.
43. challenging conventions –
double page spread
I also wanted the actual interview to fit in
with the rest of the page which is why I went
against the white background and went for
the paper and tape.
44. Conclusion
Through creating this magazine I was able
to use the traditional conventions of
magazines that I had researched,
develop their existing ideas to make them
fit in with my magazine and I also went
against them all together. Through doing
this I feel I have been able to create a
magazine that will fit in the market but it
still has a new twist.
